Why has football gone soft?

[Physiocrat]

Since probably 1990 onwards the amount of physical contact allowed has diminished significantly (yes this was inspired by the Sterling penalty but that is for another thread). Whether this is a good or bad development is another question but my interest hear is why the football authorities changed the laws?

Was it to make the game more entertaining, improve player welfare, to stop major injuries to very expensive players or something else?

 

[rimaldo]

football made me pretty hard last night.

 

[rimaldo]

getting hard again now just thinking about it.

 

[VeevaVee]

It's the Europeans that have ruined it. English football was always hard as nails

 

[holdsteady]

It's not even since the 90s.

Look at some of the matches we had with City and Liverpool around 2010. The tackles absolutely flying in with reckless abandon. The way the game should be played at times. I think it's sad that it's gone. The sanitation that's happened is to make money. To make the game more accessible to the TV cameras. Make no mistake that is what it's all about. A more family friendly atmosphere makes everyone more money. It's a shame.

 

[SuperiorXI]

football made me pretty hard last night.

 

[Rektsanwalt]

due to a reflection of a social general process of the western world

 

[MikeUpNorth]

The invention of slow motion and high definition broadcast technology.

 

[dumbo]

It goes back to the Enlightenment, when man first sought to elevate himself above the lesser beasts.

 

[Champ]

Probably because people are constantly using their arses in football these days.........

 

[0le]

A drive for more goals with the link to perceived better value of entertainment, higher ratings and more money.

 

[Hughes35]

Slow motion replays don't help and the health and safety brigade. Players are now seen as assets and everything is about their safety.

I think this Euros has been better to be honest. I've seen a lot of players going down and the refs waving play on. That should happen a lot more than it does.

 

[kthanksbye]

It's better good players are less likely to pick up long term career altering injuries and we get to enjoy watching them play for longer.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Yet another Ole out thread?

 

[Classical Mechanic]

It’s got a lot faster so hard tackles are more dangerous.

 

[L1nk]

Because in general Western society where popular football is predominantly based has been getting weaker and weaker for many years, and this is going to reflect in all aspects, including football, heading will be outright banned within the next 20 years I think. That and players go down way too easily at the slightest of touches now and they are never discouraged from doing it because of the odd one the referee catches, most of the time they are rewarded for their theatrics, this means that harder tackling is generally always going to be a red because it looks more severe in comparison, even if they legitimitely got the ball.

 

[MU655]

There were a lot of of very soft freekicks given to Denmark, also. How is it a freekick when a player runs into you? Do you have to move out of the way to let them through? Because that is what it is saying.

Also, the headers are getting ridiculous. It happened to Moore (Wales) and Maguire against Denmark. A player can now run into your elbow and it is a certain yellow. This kind of thing doesn't help.

Going by these things, a player no longer has to initiate contact (or try to initiate contact) to get carded or give away a freekick.

 

[Siorac]

Players are now seen as assets and everything is about their safety.

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

 

[Ole's screen]

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

It’s not a bad thing per say but the reason sport is fun is partly to do with the potential to get hurt. The more the professional game gets distant from informal pick up football the more disconnected fans will feel about it, the more chances for the bubble to burst.

 

[Siorac]

It’s not a bad thing per say but the reason sport is fun is partly to do with the potential to get hurt. The more the professional game gets distant from informal pick up football the more disconnected fans will feel about it, the more chances for the bubble to burst.

Well, in informal pick me up football I always hated people who were aggressive as feck and flew in to sliding tackles and stuff like that. Don't pretend you're a professional footballer because I'll need my legs later, thank you; unlike actual professionals I don't have a whole medical team to fix me if you destroy my ligaments or something.

So if anything, less contact makes it more like 'amateur' football! Though I'll admit there are always wannabe hard men who take a kickabout way too seriously and run around clattering people as if it were a Champions League final but those people are twats.

 

[Hughes35]

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

I think there is a point where it does become a bad thing. If you don't let boxers punch because somebody might get hurt, you ruin the sport.

A similar thing has happened in football. I'm all for cutting out the absolute leg breakers, but football is meant to be a contact sport. Shoulder barges etc should be legal.

 

[Physiocrat]

Because in general Western society where popular football is predominantly based has been getting weaker and weaker for many years, and this is going to reflect in all aspects, including football, heading will be outright banned within the next 20 years I think. That and players go down way too easily at the slightest of touches now and they are never discouraged from doing it because of the odd one the referee catches, most of the time they are rewarded for their theatrics, this means that harder tackling is generally always going to be a red because it looks more severe in comparison, even if they legitimitely got the ball.

That is certainly a plausible theory. Has rugby suffered from this softening up too? Or other Western contact sports

 

[TheReligion]

It's the Europeans that have ruined it. English football was always hard as nails

Exactly. The irony of them now complaining about it is very amusing to say the least!

 

[Matthew84!]

Yes it has gone soft, we can blame the imports into the Premier league but I there is alot more money in today's game, you can't just going around tackling like they did in the 90s,
I think the lack of tackling has helped with flair players not being taken down but I do think its gone to far.
With VAR its never going back.

 

[Dante]

Because more money can be made by freeing up flair players to do their thing.

World Cups and European competitions began to officiate tackles more harshly. Eventually, England had to follow suit because they couldn't continue playing a different game from the rest of the world.

 

[Cheimoon]

It goes back to the Enlightenment, when man first sought to elevate himself above the lesser beasts.

How about women? Sexist Ole at it again I see....

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

Its gone soft for 2 reasons; Firstly because over time medical research has started to show credible links for serious medical conditions that we want to avoid our athletes and future athletes getting at all costs (dementia etc) so naturally the game has to evolve.

Secondly, the most successful teams over recent memory, typically from the continent, have relied upon a very skill/flair based passing game with smaller less physical players which referees decided to protect which shook up the tactical game and was pleasing to watch and grew a following. Along with this the dark arts of diving and taking every single advantage out of the game as possible was a large part of this footballing philosophy.

It has nothing to do with the culture war "the west is being destroyed" bollocks.

 

[Oranges038]

Because more money can be made by freeing up flair players to do their thing.

World Cups and European competitions began to officiate tackles more harshly. Eventually, England had to follow suit because they couldn't continue playing a different game from the rest of the world.

Funny thing is that the more money became involved, the more there is riding on winning and the less we see the flair players and those who want to entertain.

Now most teams are based around the system and data, you can't have players that don't fit the system, because they might try something that goes against what the data says they should do.

 

[paraguayo]

Its a process that happened in most team sports

 

[Alex99]

Football has gone soft because half of its fans cry when the other team boos during a song.

 

[Tomuś]

I know it's selfish as it's not my health but watching some of our old games from 90s/early 2000s.. Wow, superb.

 

[mu4c_20le]

I'd like to know why some people are more upset by booing during national anthems than when players take a knee against racism.

 

[RooneyLegend]

A drive for more goals with the link to perceived better value of entertainment, higher ratings and more money.

This

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Why not? Why let players kick lumps out of each other when that has nothing to do with footballing ability or intelligence?

Would you rather watch Vinny Jones or Mo Salah?

 

[Mr Pigeon]

You get in trouble for showing off your hard tackle.

 

[Bobski]

A drive for more goals with the link to perceived better value of entertainment, higher ratings and more money.

Also a desire to protect the top players who bring in so much money. Imagine being the guy who broke prime Messi/Ronaldo's legs and possibly ruined their career. Pariah status.

 

[Ekkie Thump]

You get in trouble for showing off your hard tackle.

Sometimes even when it's soft.

 

[DixieDean]

In general, it's a good thing as flair players at not being chopped to bits as they where in the past. It has gone a bit ott, though.

 

[Physiocrat]

Its a process that happened in most team sports

Which others has it happened in? The only other I know which it has become obviously softer is basketball

 

[stevoc]

Why not? Why let players kick lumps out of each other when that has nothing to do with footballing ability or intelligence?

Would you rather watch Vinny Jones or Mo Salah?

Football match or Movie?